Surprised and Saddened

Hi anne,
I have never been to Baguio, but this goes for a lot of places, that have been spoiled, with new businesses, or housing developments going up.
There has been a lot of it where I live, and it sure can take the natural beauty out of a place.
That is a shame about the view, now being a Parking Lot.
i can understand your dissapointment, and i am sure others who knew the place before, would agree with you.

Accepting changes is difficult especially if the changes are not good and it could have been avoided in the first place. Changes in development especially are hard because we can't do anything about it, tourists are very much welcome and they do need parking spaces. So it's hard to weigh and balance the two: progress and preserving the good, old Baguio.
I hope that the city's government and the people of Baguio help together to keep the city as a city that will still attract visitors, foreign and local alike.

the first time i visited baguio, i thought there is a color coding of houses especially those in the hills. my friend who lives there told me almost all the hills now were covered with houses, unpainted houses that when viewed from afar looked like gray houses. gone were the lush environment that i thought baguio to be or to have. even the streets which were (this is just a wild guess) built for caritellas or horse-drawn vehicles can not accommodate the cars, taxis and jeepneys.

Hi there anne25penn!

I am a Filipino and I could totally understand what you are saying. Seeing one of our tourist spots become like that makes me sad too, considering that it is one of the best places here in the Philippines that many people go to. Before, my family usually go there once or twice a year for vacation, but for these past 2 years we haven't been there again. I was kind of disappointed that it was starting to have so many establishments, and that explains why the atmosphere became so hot like Manila. I totally agree about the garbage problem, because I've heard comments about it from my other relatives. I also have friends who study in Baguio. Maybe I could also go there sometime to see it myself.

Hi, I've been to Baguio three times and the last time I visited was in 2002. I hope to visit again and experience the Panagbenga Festival.
The last time I visited, there was already traffic and garbage but not as alarming yet as the one you mentioned. I have noticed too that there were more smoke-belching vehicles. I just hope this is not the case anymore.
Yes, it's really disappointing to see places of interests that are spoiled by irresponsible developments.

I am also in love with that place and it has been sometime that I haven't visited that place. I am quite sure that the placed has changed since I last went there. I also seen the show that showcased that place Baguio and I am saddened that part of the place where the view was fantastic is now blocked by a parking lot already. I think this is the price of developing the place. I really think that there is no other way Baguio can prosper if there is no development in the place. Population will continue to grow as the place would become more densely populated as it grows. I really think there is no stopping it if the economy grows with it and opportunities would continue to grow in that place. I have seen many jobs opportunity in that place and you would expect many more will go to that place as job seekers and would add to the population there. This are things that a city would need to sustain their existence as a City.

By the way it is noteworthy that Baguio is a city not a province. Their Province is Benguet.

I do not know this city, but can relate to your feelings. The small town I grew up in was a rural area with forests, creeks, farm land, and lots of running room. I went back to visit after being gone for twenty years. All the woods are gone and huge houses have filled every square foot. Such a shame! I loved my woods.

Cleveland, Ohio was once a pretty, well-kept city with a large river running through it. Back in the late 1960's the river became so polluted from factories dumping their waste that it actually caught fire and burned for several days. the shorelines were filled with garbage and the whole area was crowded slums. The fire made national news, and got a lot of attention. Soon after some citizen groups began marching on the shorelines, picketing the factories and refusing to buy goods from them until they cleaned up their mess. Churches got together and began clean-up campaigns on the shorelines. Soup kitchens and other aid to the people there got them better living conditions, and they started showing some pride in their own neighborhoods. It took years to rebuild the area, but it is once again a beautiful place, with a clean river and green parks and play areas on the shorelines.

So take heart! Maybe there are some things you can get involved in to be part of the restoration of the city you love.